Tag: Jabari Walker

Buffs in the NBA: Chauncey Billups gives Jabari Walker game ball following career-high game

Jabari Walker had the best scoring game of his young NBA career on Friday night

Former Colorado men’s basketball star Jabari Walker is currently in his second season in the NBA, and he has earned more and more minutes this year for a young Portland Trail Blazers team.

On Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs, Walker shined bright with the best scoring game of his young career. Walker scored a career-high 25 points to go with nine rebounds in just under 30 minutes off the bench. The Blazers also got the 134-128 victory.

After the game, Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, another all-time great Buff, gave the game ball to Walker in a special moment.

On the year, Walker is averaging 8.1 points per game with 5.4 rebounds and has seen his minutes increase recently. Three days before scoring 25, he finished with 17 on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings.

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Jabari Walker amasses double-double in Blazers’ Summer League opener

Jabari Walker was a quiet star in the NBA Summer League on Friday

While the basketball world had its focus on Victor Wembanyama’s impending debut, Jabari Walker was a more quiet NBA Summer League star on Friday.

In the first game of his second season playing in the developmental circuit, Walker recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds and 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including two made 3-pointers. The former Colorado forward also added three assists and a steal in Portland’s 100-99 loss to Houston, which nailed a miraculous game-winning 3 as the buzzer sounded.

Walker’s Trail Blazers return to action on Sunday against Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs. Tipoff is at 6:00 p.m. MT on ESPN2.

Other former Buffs in the NBA Summer League include Tyler Bey (Milwaukee Bucks) and McKinley Wright IV (Dalla Mavericks). Bey did not appear in the Bucks’ first game on Friday and the Mavs are set to face Oklahoma City on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MT.

We’ll be providing more coverage on Walker, Bey and Wright as the Summer League continues.

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NBA Summer League to feature three former Buffs

Keep an eye on these three former #cubuffs in the NBA Summer League

Former CU Buffs men’s basketball stars McKinley Wright IV, Tyler Bey and Jabari Walker were all selected by their respective teams to compete in the 2023 NBA Summer League, which will be held from July 7-17 in Las Vegas.

Wright, Colorado’s all-time leader in assists, played in 27 games last season for the Dallas Mavericks and will continue with them for what will be his third NBA Summer League appearance — the previous two coming with Minnesota in 2021 and Phoenix in 2022.

Walker averaged over 12 points in last year’s summer league to help the Portland Trail Blazers win the title. He’s back with the Blazers again this summer following a rookie season in which he scored just under four points per game for head coach Chauncey Billups.

Bey played overseas in 2022-23 for the Ironi Ness Ziona of the Israeli Premier League but returns to the United States for his third NBA Summer League run, this time with the Milwaukee Bucks.

On Friday, Bey’s Bucks open against Denver at 3 p.m. on ESPNU and Walker’s Blazers face Houston at 5 p.m. on ESPN. The Mavericks and Wright play their first game against Oklahoma City on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2. (All times MDT.)

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Buffs in the NBA: Jabari Walker has career-high scoring night for Portland Trail Blazers

Forever Buff Jabari Walker had the best scoring game of his rookie season for the Blazers

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, but Jabari Walker has slowly put together a solid rookie season for the Portland Trail Blazers.

The former CU Buffs men’s basketball forward is averaging 2.9 points and two rebounds per game, and on Friday he scored a career-high 14 in Portland’s loss to the Chicago Bulls. Walker’s previous high was 11 against the Indiana Pacers back in January.

Walker, who was the 57th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, impressed in the summer league, and while he’s still not receiving many minutes with the Blazers, his development remains on a strong trajectory.

At Colorado, Walker played two seasons and was first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore.

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PHOTOS: Former Buffs in the NBA summer league

Photos: Former Buffs in the 2022 summer league

The 2022 Las Vegas Summer League wrapped on Sunday with a pair of former Colorado Buffaloes — Jabari Walker and George King — winning it all with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Also playing in the league were McKinley Wright IV (Phoenix Suns), D’Shawn Schwartz (New York Knicks), Tyler Bey (Philadelphia 76ers) and Jeriah Horne (Sacramento Kings). It is, however, yet to be seen how many of those forever Buffs will get NBA playing time.

But especially with Spencer Dinwiddie and Derrick White, who both impressed in the NBA playoffs, Colorado has quite the group of young talent playing in the pros.

Check out the best pictures from the Buffs’ presence in the summer league:

CU Buffs in the NBA: Summer league roundup

Here’s how all six former Buffs performed in the NBA summer league

Colorado Buffaloes fans saw quite a few familiar names make their way to the Las Vegas Summer League.

All eyes were on Portland Trail Blazers rookie Jabari Walker, the most recent Buff playing in the circuit. Walker not only went home as a summer league champ, but he also signed a three-year contract in the process.

But, there were a few other notable players that also used to play college basketball at the CU Events Center. There were a total of six former Buffs who earned NBA summer league roster spots.

Let’s check in on them and recap how each of them performed:

Jabari Walker and the Blazers are Summer League champions

Jabari Walker is a Summer League champ

Jabari Walker is a Summer League champion!

The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks on Sunday, 85-77, to win their fourth game during the Las Vegas Summer League.

The former Colorado Buffaloes star has made the transition a seamless one so far. His debut was impressive, and he also posted a double-double shortly after. He then signed a three-year contract, including a full guarantee in his rookie year and a partial one for his sophomore campaign.

Not bad for a guy who almost went undrafted, for some reason.

Now, Walker is a Summer League champ and continued his impressive performance with a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double on Sunday,

He also added a couple of blocks, and Walker continues to look like an absolute steal of a draft choice.

His Summer League averages are stellar, and he did it all in a low average of 22 minutes per game.

Walker will now take some time and work on his craft more before training camp and the 2022-23 season begins. But, Las Vegas was terrific for Walker. Not only did he become a Summer League champ, he earned a contract and made some major noise in Sin City.

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Jabari Walker makes it official, signs deal with Portland Trail Blazers

Jabari Walker made it official with Portland

Well, that didn’t take very long.

Colorado Buffaloes star Jabari Walker was the second to last choice in the 2022 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. It remained to be seen whether or not he would make the roster, but his performance at the Las Vegas Summer League has everybody buzzing.

Now, Walker has officially inked his contract with the Blazers. According to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, Walker signed a three-year deal worth $4.76 million. The contract includes a full guarantee in his first year and a partial guarantee for next season, so Walker’s NBA time is set in stone for the time being.

From nearly going undrafted to signing a guaranteed deal, this is a terrific accomplishment for Walker, who put up a double-double earlier this week.

His numbers so far are stellar, so it makes sense why the Blazers locked him up this early.

A two-way contract seemed reasonable, but Walker’s play has secured him a guaranteed deal, and he was thrilled to sign the contract.

Although we’ll miss him, it looks like Walker made the right move going to the NBA, and now we can see him play with the Blazers for the next couple of seasons, at least.

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Trail Blazers sign Colorado’s Jabari Walker to standard NBA contract

Walker is averaging 13 points, 8.3 rebounds and one assist in three games with Portland in summer league.

No. 57 overall pick Jabari Walker from Colorado on Wednesday signed a standard NBA contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, the team announced.

Walker, the son of 10-year veteran Samaki Walker, was named to the All-Pac-12 first team after averaging 14.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 33 games last season as a sophomore. He ranked 10th among all Division I players in double-doubles with 17.

The 19-year-old has emerged as a standout with the Trail Blazers in the Las Vegas Summer League. He is averaging 13 points, 8.3 rebounds and one assist in three games on 68.2% shooting from the field, including 37.5% from 3-point range.

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Walker has impressed in a small sample size in summer league. He is currently leading all draftees in points per possession (1.39) and rebound percentage (22.3). He has also defended at a high level and is among the leaders in plus-minus.

He was thought to be in contention for a two-way contract, but instead earned a standard deal with the Trail Blazers after just three games in Las Vegas. With the signing, Walker claimed the 15th and final spot on the roster.

Portland plays next on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. EDT.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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